Jacon

Jacon

Jacon is a popular dish among the Mayan population of Guatemala. Chicken is simmered in a sauce tinted a beautiful green by tomatillos and cilantro and thickened with ground sesame and pumkpin seeds and corn tortillas

Ingredients:

-chicken, cut into serving pieces (2 1/2 to 3 pounds)

-4 cups water

-2 tsp salt

-1/4 cup pumpkin seeds

-2 corn tortillas, chopped, soaked in water, drained

-1 cup tomatillos, hulled and chopped

-1 bunch cilantro, chopped

-1 bunch scallions, chopped

-1 to 5 jalapenos, chopped

Method:

1. Place chicken, water and salt into a large pot over medium high flame. Bring to boil, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes to 1 hour.

2. Remove the chicken to a bowl and strain and set aside the broth. Let chicken cool, then remove the meat from the bones and shred it with your fingers. Set aside.

3. Heat a dry skillet over medium flame. Add the pumpkin and sesame seeds and toast, stirring until lightly browned. Remove to a coffee grinder and grind to a fine powder.

4. Add the sesame and pumpkin seeds, tortillas, tomatillos, cilantro, scallions and chile perppers to a food processor or blender. Add 1 cup of the reserved broth and process until smooth. If using a blender you may have to do this step in batches.

5. Return the chicken to the pot.Pour over pureed sauce and add 1 to 1 1/2 cups of the remaining broth to give it a sauce-like consistency.

6. Heat over medium-low flame and simmer for an additional 15-25 minutes. Adjust seasoning and serve.

Variations

• Leave the chicken pieces whole if you prefer.
  


• If you can't find pumpkin seeds, simply use 1/2 cup of sesame seeds. And if finding sesame seeds is a problem, you can substitute a slightly smaller amount of tahini.